Dervla McTiernan Archives

Book review: Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan

April 30, 20263 min read

I’d seen a stack of other people receive early copies of Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan for review and thought I’d missed out, so was grateful when this arrived. If I was one to ‘squee’ I might have squeed. I love McTiernan’s Cormac Reilly series but my absolute favourite book of hers was What Happened to Nina, a standalone published in 2024. It’s unclear if this is to be a standalone but I for one will be cheering if it becomes a new series because I really liked DS Judith Lee and her boss (and family friend) Rocky.

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Book review: The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan

May 26, 20252 min read

The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan sees the return of detective Cormac Reilly along with his partner Peter Fisher, who I recall featured prominently in the last book in the series The Good Turn. Here McTiernan again throws in several plots for the price of one, mostly unconnected but all as intriguing as the main investigation involving a body in a bog. And no, NOT a typo with me erroneously typing BOG instead of BAG, and… also not something I have the chance to say often! (Also googles ‘bog’ to check exactly what it means.)

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Book review: What Happened to Nina by Dervla McTiernan

February 11, 20242 min read

We start What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan in Nina’s head so very much hope that nothing bad happens to her. Yet it does – obviously… or there would be no book. Cos “Nothing Happened to Nina” wouldn’t be very appealing as a novel of suspense or crime fiction.

McTiernan shows us her hand quite early. I was initially disappointed because there’s so much more of the novel to go. It’s only in retrospect that I realise this book was as much about the response or fallout as it was the murder or the investigation.

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Book review: The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan

April 10, 20222 min read

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan is a standalone – a departure from the Irish-born Australia-dwelling’s Cormac Reilly series that I’ve enjoyed over the past four-ish years. I’ve read many good things about [The Murder Rule] over recent months and I can only agree as McTiernan manages to offer readers a likeable (though agenda-laden) lead, intriguing plot and several twists and turns to keep us guessing.

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Book review: The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan

February 20, 20203 min read

I’ve heard Irish-born Australian-dwelling author Dervla McTiernan speak on a number of occasions, met her briefly and follow her on social media. She’s confirmation of my belief that authors (whose books I enjoy) are always likeable and engaging ‘off’ the page as well as on.

Though I liked her debut, The Ruin (the first in the Cormac Reilly series) I didn’t love it as much as most. Of course it went on to win a million awards so it says something about my judgement!

I actually preferred her second novel, The Scholar, again featuring Cormac. And now that I’ve read her third book in the series, it’s knocked its predecessor of its mantle. The Good Turn, is easily my favourite of the three (to date); so readers need not fear McTiernan has peaked!

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Book review: The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan

February 17, 20192 min read

Irish-born Aussie-dwelling Dervla McTiernan’s debut novel, The Ruin, was warmly received last year, winning hearts and accolades.

Her fans will be happy to know that its sequel, The Scholar, most definitely does not disappoint and we pick up with Irish detective Cormac Reilly where we left off.

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Book review: The Rúin by Dervla McTiernan

March 10, 20182 min read

Dervla McTiernan was born in Ireland and lived there until 2011, before moving to Western Australia with her family. Her debut novel The Rúin is set in Ireland and its setting and dialogue quintessentially Irish, but there’s a snippet of her new country of abode, as one of the characters returns from a long stay in Australia.

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